Corpus Christi in 24 hours: 4 a.m. making doughnuts

ABOVE: Jesse Silvas places cinnamon rolls onto a pan before placing them in the oven. Jesse is a part-time employee at Gates Donut Shop, located in the 4400 block of Alameda Street.

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BELOW: Silvas (left) comes to help co-worker Mary Jasso make glazed doughnuts while he waits for his dough to rise to make cinnamon rolls.

Jesse Silvas checks the cinnamon rolls from the oven of Gates Donut Shop.

George Gongora/Caller-Times

Jesse Silvas works the dough that will be used to make cinnamon rolls.

George Gongora/Caller-Times

Part-time Gates Donut Shop worker Jesse Silvas spreads white flour on the dough he will use to make cinnamon rolls. Silvas arrived at work at 2 a.m. with another employee to begin making doughnuts and rolls.

George Gongora/Caller-Times

At Gates Donut Shop, Jesse Silvas rolls out the dough that will be used to make cinnamon rolls.

George Gongora/Caller-Times

Cinnamon rolls are a popular item when the Gates Donut Shop drive-through window opens at 4:30 a.m.

George Gongora/Caller-Times

Fresh and still hot, glazed chocolate doughnuts are ready for customers at Gates Donut Shop.

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Mary Jasso, 56, fries Gates doughnuts in oil. The first doughnuts to be made here at this hour are the glazed and chocolate doughnuts.

George Gongora/Caller-Times

Fresh glazed doughnuts cool after being cooked.

George Gongora/Caller-Times

Mary Jasso takes doughnuts out of the baking ovens of Gates Donut Shop in the 4400 block of South Alameda Street. She and a co-worker arrive at 2 a.m. daily to make doughnuts and rolls ready for sale at 4:30 a.m. every day except Monday.